This Week at St. Paul's
Mother Michelle Walker
Dear St. Paul's Family,
Stewardship. All too often that word causes people to grasp their wallets reflexively as they are certain the next thing coming is a request for money. Admittedly, that does happen. Stewardship, however, doesn't always require money. Some times, it requires a person's time and their knowledge or talent of how to care for the item, organization, or property entrusted to them.
As life would have it, our rectory needed a good deal of stewardship this Spring. After about 2 years of being empty and untended, it required some TLC (tender loving care). From the sewer line exploration, digging, and repair to the cleaning of the inside to the replacement of the garbage disposal to the "spiffing up" of the rectory grounds - a good deal of time and talent has gone into caring for this property we've cherished for so many decades. We are wonderfully blessed with tenants January-June '21 and then more tenants June '21 - March '22 that allow us a little extra income to care for some of these needs. And as you read previously, we were also blessed to discover our insurance covered all but about $200 of the excavation related to the sewer. Blessed, we are blessed indeed.
The pictures I've included in this edition of our News from the Red Doors show before and after pictures of the rectory back and side yards. Thanks to our parishioner Jessica Crass, her son Carson, and my dear clergy spouse Joe, the rectory grounds are looking infinitely better than before. Thank you to Jessica and Joe for their many volunteer hours. Thank you to Carson for his hard and excellent work at a reasonable rate. Thank you to Sue Cummings for digging and donating hostas and for Sally Glynn for offering plantings of her beautiful irises. As stewards of this property we can be proud of the improvements made, as frugally and sustainably as possible. On a related note, our new tenants are thrilled with their rectory home (while their fire damaged home is being repaired) and are even helping with keeping the grass seed watered so it will grow beautifully.
By the time you receive this email I will be officially on vacation, although we don't fly until Sunday. I can't help but think about stewardship of ourselves ... our minds, souls, and bodies as well. Time for work, prayer, exercise, fun, and relaxation are all part of how we are also good stewards of ourselves. And this coming week my stewardship will include sitting by either the pool or the beach, in the shade and covered in sunscreen, with a cold beverage and an entertaining book. My stewardship for this next week is rest, enjoyment, and rejuvenation ... all of which are important aspects of a well-rounded life. I'm thankful for the time away and for the prayers for our safe travels. I'm thankful to Fr. Rob for supplying on Sunday, and to everyone who has to do a little more in my absence. Thank you!
Should any pastoral emergencies arise in the next week, please reach out to Senior Warden Jean Burns or Junior Warden Tom Konieczny. And until next Sunday (7/18), stay safe, pray regularly, and consider what good stewardship in ALL aspects of your life means to you.
Blessings,
Mother Michelle
priest@stpaulslaporte.org | 219-575-0226 (c)
